Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30336
Saturday, April 22, 1995 11:09 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING. DURING THE BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED OF APPROACHING RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, TOWER PERSONNEL ASKED HIM IF HE WAS AWARE OF A SIGMET THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTA AREA; THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE DEPARTED NORTHEAST BOUND ON A VFR FLIGHT TO RALEIGH, NC. WITNESSES AT AN ELECTRICAL PLANT HEARD A SMALL AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE AREA BEFORE THEY HEARD THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE PLANT'S CONCRETE SMOKE STACK. THEY THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING OUT OF THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS. THE LEFT WING WAS FOLDED BACK AGAINST THE FUSELAGE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPINNING AS IT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. THE SMOKE STACK WAS ABOUT 880' TALL, AND ITS TOP WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ABOUT 75' FROM THE TOP OF THE SMOKE STACK. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED 0.005 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL AND 0.011 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (METABOLITES OF MARIJUANA).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO A DRUG, VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OBSTACLE (TOWERING SMOKE STACK). FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1109
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30336
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1101 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 840
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 553
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3220E
NTSB Number ATL95FA088
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271474
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 91
Airframe Hours 5514
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLARKE AIR SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5555 LONG MEADOW LANE
Aircraft Owner City COLLEGE PARK
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30349
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LITTLE, DANIEL A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2009 E. POWERS FERRY RD.
Operator City MARIETTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30067
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FTY
Departure City
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RDU
Destination City RALEIGH
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --